Jaeger-leCoultre history

Virtually all the major jewelry and watch companies in Europe have been customers LeCoultre. Using the most advanced technology has allowed her to take a dominant market position in the last century, although little is known about any loud and impressive achievements of the Company, except, perhaps, for a Victorian device measuring 1/1000 millimeter, and the very thin (1,38 mm) at 1903 clock mechanism.
Jaeger-LeCoultre – the title pair. The oldest of his half – LeCoultre, company, founded in 1833 by a man named Antoni LeCoultre in the town of Le Sentier, near Geneva. The territorial and ideological proximity to the industrially oriented IWS (International Watch Co. Schaffhausen), apparently influenced eboshevo-industrial orientation of the firm. In contrast to the IWS, which united the whole cycle of melting metal for the wheels to paint boxes, LeCoultre tried to sell naked mechanisms. In large measure the company owes its immense flowering of the Russian market. Heinrich Moser and Pavel Bure, the two largest producers and importers watches in Russia, used to the best of its products mainly machinery LeCoultre. More precisely, if there was something good under these renowned brands, it LeCoultre. It is stipulated that for the unique individual orders Moser used a company Meylan, Pavel Bure bought Le Roy, but it is extremely rare exceptions.

Virtually all the major jewelry and watch companies in Europe have been customers LeCoultre. Using the most advanced technology has allowed her to take a dominant market position in the last century, although little is known about any loud and impressive achievements of the Company, except, perhaps, for a Victorian device measuring 1 / 1000 millimeter, and the very thin (1 , 38 mm) at 1903 clock mechanism.

Qualitative leap in the company’s history occurred at the junction with the Paris firm LeCoultre Jaeger. Frenchman Edmond Jaeger was already in a decent age, when he was visited by well-deserved success. Working and studying at one of the best in the world of factories Breguer (the same one which he founded and glorified Abraham-Louis Breguer, the steepest watchmaker of all time), Jaeger has received invaluable knowledge and experience. Start a business on rue Reamuer in Paris, Jaeger by five business began to make a good watch.

In 1860 the factory employed 100 people, and in 1890 the production was running over 125 calibers. Over time, the sons of Antoine Elie (Elie), Paul (Paul) and Benjamin (Benjamin) joined the cause of his father, and soon LeCoultre began the company that produces such complex mechanisms, such as repeater, chronographs, calendars. When in 1899 the family was connected to his son Eli, Jacques-David (Jacques-David), LeCoultre became the leading watch factory in the Vallee de Joux.

V1903, Jacques-David joined the business relationship with the Parisian watchmaker Edmond Zhezhe (Edmond Jaeger), izvesteym manufacturer of timepieces. The company got a new name Jaeger-leCoultre, which became even more famous, continued white, begun by Antoine LeKultrom. The factory of Le Sentier always been renowned for its pronounced individuality, her way mark hundreds of patents obtained from 1833 to today, and the name has become synonymous with “real Swiss watch.”

One of the generators of new ideas and first-discoverer of new opportunities in clocks manufacturing was Antoine LeKultr, designed and built machines that could produce machine parts for watches of extraordinary accuracy. Among his developments were millionometr, are actually defined as a standard in the watch industry metric system. In 1847, Antoine LeKultr developed a system clock, in which time was set by the crown. Traditions established by this great master-pioneer, were retained by his successors: from 1833 on account of the firm – hundreds of patented inventions. For several decades LeCoultre & Co. Become a leading watches manufacturer, reaching incredible success in the creation of complex watch mechanisms.
In 1890, the company produced 125 different types of mechanisms, and in 1903 from its studios in ultra-light appeared a mechanism for pocket watches thickness of 1.38 mm (this record still not broken). It was followed by other subtle mechanisms: Chronograph thickness 2,8 mm and minute repeater thickness 2,7 mm. Since watches are increasingly forced out of their handheld counterparts, LeCoultre found a new field of soybeans. In 1925 he was created a two-tiered rectangular mechanism Duoplan, which were fitted with tiny wristwatch era of Art Deco. Behind him in 1929, followed by Calibre 101, the remainder of the smallest manufactured and still ticking with a hand-wound.

In 1928, in watchmaking revolution took place – the company had been established clock Atmos, receiving the energy necessary for the operation, from minor changes in ambient temperature. Model Reverso, appeared in 1931, rose in a number of timepieces that have received worldwide recognition. It was the classic clock-style Art Deco, and they entered into the history of watchmaking art.

A variety of watches was invented in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Clocks of Geomatic acquired the status of the chronometer and watch Geophysic possess special antimagnetic protection. With the advent of watches Futurematic 1953 (the mechanism of self-winding Caliber 497) eliminated the need for the crown, and the model Memovox in 1956 became the first self-winding watches and alarm function. After 1980, the accumulated ideas and design firm has been embodied in a series of superb new clocks.

In total since 1833 in the workshops of Jaeger-LeCoultre was founded 250 mechanisms of different caliber. Today, the company produces the largest number of calibers – 34.

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